She shrugged beneath his fingers. “It’s not you, honey. It’s this place. Everyone’s so mean. Everyone’s so angry that he’s coming here. I don’t understand it.”

“It’s a big city,” he said. “We’re bumpkins, so it’s different here. You need to relax. A little love, a nice lunch. Then maybe a little more love.” He winked, but of course she couldn’t see him. He hummed into her ear: “Since I fell for you…,” but that was even cornier, so he stopped. She was tense.

The TV was on, and that should have been a treat, but now it was just annoying. He brought her here to get away from things. A little romance, a little distance from the cow shit, and the parents who didn’t like him.

The news was on the screen, which was strange this time of day. The picture was muddy and boring. They weren’t here for soap operas, unless you wanted to talk about her goddamn family. Cronkite on TV this time of day was unnerving. She turned on the big box as soon as they set their luggage down. She said she wanted to see if the picture quality was better or something. Maybe even see the President. The bed was huge, and that’s what mattered.

She kept staring at the television. And then he understood why.

***

Memphis on a rainy April afternoon. A long time between vacations, but Michael knew it was worth the wait. They were finally alone. He was a sucker for falling for her so quickly, but he couldn’t help it. He knew he loved her more than a little, and he couldn’t wait to see her naked.